Dudley Erwin
Encyclopedia
Dudley Erwin (20 August 191729 October 1984) was an Australia
n politician and briefly Minister for Air
.
During World War II
, Erwin served as a flight lieutenant
in the Royal Australian Air Force
as a navigator in No. 31 Squadron and was involved in the South West Pacific
. Prior to enter politics, he was an electrical radio engineer and a farmer. He also became a successful hotel-owner in Ballarat.
Erwin was elected for the Liberal Party
as the member of the House of Representatives
seat of Ballaarat
at the 1955 election
. He was Government Whip
from February 1967 to February 1969 and strongly supported John Gorton
's election as Liberal leader following the disappearance and presumed drowning of Prime Minister
Harold Holt
on 17 December 1967. On 13 February 1969 he was appointed Minister for Air, in the reshuffle following Paul Hasluck
's appointment as Governor-General
. Gorton subsequently appointed one of his young staffers, Ainsley Gotto
as private secretary and came to rely on her for political advice. In November 1969, Erwin was left out of Gorton's second ministry
. Erwin's explanation for his dismissal was: Erwin chaired the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary and Government Publications, which produced the first edition of the Australian Government Style Manual. He retired from parliament prior to the 1975 election
. He died of a heart attack and was survived by his wife, Gwenda and three children.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n politician and briefly Minister for Air
Minister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Erwin served as a flight lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force
The Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
as a navigator in No. 31 Squadron and was involved in the South West Pacific
South West Pacific theatre of World War II
The South West Pacific Theatre, technically the South West Pacific Area, between 1942 and 1945, was one of two designated area commands and war theatres enumerated by the Combined Chiefs of Staff of World War II in the Pacific region....
. Prior to enter politics, he was an electrical radio engineer and a farmer. He also became a successful hotel-owner in Ballarat.
Erwin was elected for the Liberal Party
Liberal Party of Australia
The Liberal Party of Australia is an Australian political party.Founded a year after the 1943 federal election to replace the United Australia Party, the centre-right Liberal Party typically competes with the centre-left Australian Labor Party for political office...
as the member of the House of Representatives
Australian House of Representatives
The House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the Parliament of Australia; it is the lower house; the upper house is the Senate. Members of Parliament serve for terms of approximately three years....
seat of Ballaarat
Division of Ballarat
The Division of Ballarat is an Australian Electoral Division in Victoria. The division was one of the original 75 divisions contested at the first federal election. It is named for the provincial city of Ballarat....
at the 1955 election
Australian federal election, 1955
Federal elections were held in Australia on 10 December 1955. All 122 seats in the House of Representatives, and 30 of the 60 seats in the Senate were up for election. The incumbent Liberal Party of Australia led by Prime Minister of Australia Robert Menzies with coalition partner the Country Party...
. He was Government Whip
Whip (politics)
A whip is an official in a political party whose primary purpose is to ensure party discipline in a legislature. Whips are a party's "enforcers", who typically offer inducements and threaten punishments for party members to ensure that they vote according to the official party policy...
from February 1967 to February 1969 and strongly supported John Gorton
John Gorton
Sir John Grey Gorton, GCMG, AC, CH , Australian politician, was the 19th Prime Minister of Australia.-Early life:...
's election as Liberal leader following the disappearance and presumed drowning of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Australia
The Prime Minister of the Commonwealth of Australia is the highest minister of the Crown, leader of the Cabinet and Head of Her Majesty's Australian Government, holding office on commission from the Governor-General of Australia. The office of Prime Minister is, in practice, the most powerful...
Harold Holt
Harold Holt
Harold Edward Holt, CH was an Australian politician and the 17th Prime Minister of Australia.His term as Prime Minister was brought to an early and dramatic end in December 1967 when he disappeared while swimming at Cheviot Beach near Portsea, Victoria, and was presumed drowned.Holt spent 32 years...
on 17 December 1967. On 13 February 1969 he was appointed Minister for Air, in the reshuffle following Paul Hasluck
Paul Hasluck
Sir Paul Meernaa Caedwalla Hasluck KG GCMG GCVO KStJ was an Australian historian, poet, public servant and politician, and the 17th Governor-General of Australia.-Early life:...
's appointment as Governor-General
Governor-General of Australia
The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia is the representative in Australia at federal/national level of the Australian monarch . He or she exercises the supreme executive power of the Commonwealth...
. Gorton subsequently appointed one of his young staffers, Ainsley Gotto
Ainsley Gotto
Ainsley Gotto is an Australian entrepreneur.In 1968 she was a subject of controversy when Prime Minister John Gorton appointed her Private Secretary. On 13 February 1969 Gorton appointed Dudley Erwin Minister for Air, in the reshuffle following Paul Hasluck's appointment as Governor-General...
as private secretary and came to rely on her for political advice. In November 1969, Erwin was left out of Gorton's second ministry
Second Gorton Ministry
The Second Gorton Ministry was the forty-sixth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 12 November 1969 to 10 March 1971.Liberal Party of Australia–Australian Country Party Coalition-Cabinet:*Rt Hon John Gorton, MP: Prime Minister...
. Erwin's explanation for his dismissal was: Erwin chaired the Joint Select Committee on Parliamentary and Government Publications, which produced the first edition of the Australian Government Style Manual. He retired from parliament prior to the 1975 election
Australian federal election, 1975
Federal elections were held in Australia on 13 December 1975. All 127 seats in the House of Representatives, and all 64 seats in the Senate were up for election following a double dissolution of both Houses....
. He died of a heart attack and was survived by his wife, Gwenda and three children.